2012 NAIA Baseball All-Americans Announced

Miguel Beltran of Oklahoma City named 2012 Player of the Year

June 04, 2012

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By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications & Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2012 Baseball All-America teams, selected by the NAIA-American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-America Selection Committee. Miguel Beltran of Oklahoma City headlines the group of 32 student-athletes named to the first and second teams. An additional 35 players received honorable mentions. Tennessee Wesleyan's Billy Berry received Coach of the Year honors.

Beltran, a native of Long Beach, Calif., was named Player of the Year after leading the Stars to their fifth-straight Avista-NAIA World Series appearance. The senior first baseman started all 60 games for Oklahoma City this season, pacing the squad and the NAIA in home runs (27), total bases (181) and slugging percentage (.826). Beltran also led the Stars with 76 RBIs, which ranked fifth nationally. His .388 batting average trailed only teammate, and fellow All-American Dane Phillips' .410. Beltran had five multi-home run games this season, the last coming on April 27 against Wayland Baptist (Texas). Defensively, he owned a .996 fielding percentage, committing only two errors in 495 chances. Beltran is the second-straight - seventh overall - Oklahoma City player to earn the honor since the award began in 1983.

Richard Bohlken, a second team selection from Lubbock Christian (Texas), is the only repeat selection. Bohlken was a first team award winner in 2011.

Berry earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Bulldogs to the program’s first Avists-NAIA World Series crown. Tennessee Wesleyan ended the season with a 53-12 overall record, including a 22-2 mark in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action. The Bulldogs earned the right to play in the World Series after claiming the AAC tournament championship and by sweeping the Kingsport Bracket (Tenn.) of the NAIA Opening Round.

Ten programs boasted multiple All-America selections, led by three honorees from Oklahoma City and Lee (Tenn.). In addition to Beltran and Phillips, the Stars landed catcher Chad Carman on the first team. Lee's representatives were second baseman Blake Barber, designated hitter Corey Davis and pitcher Kris Hall. All three were named to the first team.

There were 12 players on the first or second teams whose programs participated in the 2012 Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho this year.